From this point on, Pilate tried ¹  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ²  shouted out, ³  “If you release this man, ⁴  you are no friend of Caesar! ⁵  Everyone who claims to be a king ⁶  opposes Caesar!”

He said to them, “You know that ¹  it is unlawful ²  for a Jew ³  to associate with or visit a Gentile, ⁴  yet God has shown me that I should call no person ⁵  defiled or ritually unclean. ⁶ 

but since it concerns points of disagreement ¹  about words and names and your own law, settle ²  it yourselves. I will not be ³  a judge of these things!”

They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ¹  among the Gentiles to abandon ²  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ³  or live ⁴  according to our customs.

And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts, ¹  these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

And they saw that some of Jesus’ disciples ate their bread with unclean hands, that is, unwashed.

The ¹  Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus ²  did not first wash his hands ³  before the meal.

Now some Sadducees ¹  (who contend that there is no resurrection) ²  came to him.

Jesus answered, ¹  “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? ² 

so many of the Jewish people of the region ¹  had come to Martha and Mary to console them ²  over the loss of their brother.) ³ 

for on account of him many of the Jewish people from Jerusalem ¹  were going away and believing in Jesus.

When they heard these things, they became furious ¹  and ground their teeth ²  at him.

But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” ¹ 

But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean ¹  has ever entered my mouth!’

“Therefore I conclude ¹  that we should not cause extra difficulty ²  for those among the Gentiles ³  who are turning to God,

When ¹  they had brought them ²  before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. ³  They are ⁴  Jews

Or these men here ¹  should tell what crime ²  they found me guilty of ³  when I stood before the council, ⁴ 

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law ¹  and boast of your relationship to God ² 

Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too!

Brothers and sisters, ¹  my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites ²  is for their salvation.